Memory/Forgetting WACE Flashcards
Memory
An organism’s ability to store, retain, and subsequently retrieve information
Sensory memory or sensory register
Information stored for a short period, usually only a few seconds
Short-term memory
-Information that has been attended to is transferred from sensory memory and is stored for a short period
-If information is rehearsed, it is transferred to LTM
-STM holds all current info (thoughts and experiences)
-STM can also retrieve info from LTM
Long-term memory
Relatively permanent storage of information
Sensory memory/register - duration, capacity and encoding system
Duration: From one to a few seconds
Capacity: Unlimited
Encoding system: As a sense, such as an image or a sound
Short-term memory - duration, capacity and encoding system
Duration: 30 seconds
Capacity: Limited to between 5-9 pieces of information
Encoding system: Active processing and rehearsal
Long-term memory - duration, capacity and encoding system
Duration: Indefinitely
Capacity: Unlimited, but can decay over time
Encoding system: Physical changes in neurons for storage
Duration
The length of time for which information is stored
Capacity
The amount of information that can be stored
Encoding
The process of converting information into a form that can be used (stored) by the memory system
Storage
Information is held for various lengths of time
Retrieval
A process that locates stored information and returns it to consciousness as required
2 Main Sensory Registers
Iconic & echoic memory
Iconic memory- what it holds, duration stored, and storage capacity
It holds: exact replica of visual information (an icon)
Duration stored: approx. 1/3-1/2 of a second
Storage capacity: relatively unlimited
Echoic memory- what it holds, duration stored and the storage capacity
It holds: exact replica of auditory information (an echo)
Storage capacity: approx 3-4 seconds
Duration stored: relatively unlimited
Magic Miller’s Number 7
Most people can store 7 (plus or minus 2) items in their short term memory
Chunking
Taking individual pieces of information and grouping them into larger meaningful units
Serial-position Effect
A pattern of recall from list items, where recall is better for items at the beginning (primacy) or end (recency) of a list than items in the middle
Asymptote
The middle portion items of the list are remembered far less well than those at the beginning and at the end
Maintenance rehearsal
Repetition of information a number of times so it can be held in STM for longer than 18-20 seconds
Maintenance rehearsal advantages/disadvantages
Advantages:
-Allows for info to be stored in STM for longer than 18-20 seconds
-Good for remembering meaningless information
Limitations:
-Does not add to understanding
-Restricts entry of new information into STM
-Limited effect transferring from STM-LTM
Elaborative rehearsal
Involves linking new information in some meaningful way with information already stored in the long term memory, or other pieces of new information to hold it in short term memory for longer than 18-20 seconds
Elaborative rehearsal advantages/disadvantages
Advantages:
-Increases understanding because it requires deep processing
-Adds more detail; increases retrieval chances
-Makes information more accessible because it creates more potential retrieval cues
Limitations:
-Takes longer than maintenance rehearsal
-Difficult to practise in situations where information entering STM is rapidly changing
-Requires more conscious effort than maintenance rehearsal
What encoding does long-term memory rely on?
Long-term memory is encoded semantically
What encoding does short-term memory rely on?
Acoustic
Procedural memory
Stores how you do things like riding a bike or swimming; sometimes called implicit memory
Declarative memory
Concerns all the information we can describe or report
Episodic memory
Memory for past personal events; sometimes called autobiographical memory
Semantic memory
Memory of facts and information that enables us to construct meaning
Recall
Retrieval of information from memory without any prompts or cues
Recognition
Retrieval of the correct information from a list of alternatives
Relearning
Learning information again that has previously been learned; this occurs more quickly than the original learning
Forgetting
Forgetting is the inability to retrieve information previously stored in LTM
Retrieval failure
Inability to retreive information when reminder cues do not assist, since the cues are not stored in the first place
Interference
Retrieval difficulties due to competing or similar information being stored
Motivated forgetting
Where there are advantages to not being able to retrieve the information because it is anxiety-provoking or unpleasant
Decay
The fading away of memory over time
Proactive interference
When information previously learned interferes with new learning in the memory
Retroactive interference
When new information interferes with waht has previously been learned
What does the Encoding Specificity Principle (ESP) state?
The ESP states it’s easier to remember info if you have the same cues available at retrieval as you had when you encoded info
Context dependent forgetting
Caused by the absence of external environment cues that were present at the time of learning (e.g., smell, place)
State dependent forgetting
Caused by the absence of internal bodily cues (e.g., physiological states or mood like drunk, happy, sad) that were experienced at the time of learning
